Mode oif regulating the speed of vehicles moved by mechanical power



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. GRIFFIN.

Traction-Wheel.

Patented Mar. 5, 1861,

Inventon Witnesses= KM. PHOTO-LITHQ CD. MY. (DSBORNE'S PRDCESS) 3Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. GRIFFIN.

Traction-Wheel.

31,595 Patented Mar. 5, 1861,

AM PHOTO-LITHO. C0. NX (OSBURNE'S PROCESS) UNITED S ii AT FIDE.

JOHN GRIFFIN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

MODE OF REG-ULATING THE SPEED OF VEHICLES MOVED BY MECHANICAL POWER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,595, dated March 5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GRIFFIN, of Louisville, in the county of Jeiferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Mode ofRegulating the Speed of Vehicles Moved by Mechanical Power; and I dohereby declare that the following is full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a partof this specification, in which Figure 1, is a side sectional view of asteamcarriage with my invention applied to it, taken in the line w, m,Fig. 3. Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in theline 3 y, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan or top view of the same; Fig. i, adetached sectional view of a portion of the same, taken in the line 2,2, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detached view of levers pertaining to the invention.

This invention consists in an improved arrangement of means for varyingthe speed of the carriage or vehicle as circumstances may require, aslow speed being frequently necessary and at other times a quick speed.

The invention is more especially designed to be applied to steamcarriages for conveying steam cotton picking devices.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a platform which is mounted on wheels B, B, C, C, and hasa rectangular framing D, on its upper surface. The wheels B, B, supportthe front part of the framing, while the back wheels C, C, are casterwheels and support the back part of the framing.

On the platform A, there is placed a steam boiler G. This boiler isplaced over the axles D, of the wheels B.

H, H, are two steam cylinders the piston rods I, I, of which areconnected to one end of walking beams J, J, the opposite ends of whichhave connecting rods K, K, attached. The lower ends of the rods K, areconnected to cranks L, on the axles D, D, that is to say, when thecarriage is to be moved from place to place and locomotion is only to beconsidered or desired. This arrangen'ient it will be seen will admit ofa quite rapid movement of the carriage.

"When the machine is at work a compara tively slow motion of thecarriage is re quired, and this is effected as follows: The connectingrods K, K, are detached from the cranks L, and connecting rods M, M,which are attached to the walking beams J, J, near the rods K, areconnected at their lower ends to cranks N, which are on shafts O, on theplatform A. These shafts O, are connected by gearing g, with verticalshafts P, the lower parts of which have screws h, on them and thesescrews gear into toothed wheels Q, on the axles D, D. By thisarrangement it will be seen a slow speed may be given the carriage whenrequired. \Vhen the rods M, are disconnected from their cranks N, thescrews h, of the shafts I are thrown out of gear with the wheels Q, bymeans of levers A*, the shafts P, being stepped in shifting bars.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent; is,

The arrangement of the two connecting rods K, M, attached respectivelyto the cranks L, N, of the axles D, and shafts O, the latter when in usebeing connected to the axles by the gearing g, it, Q, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

JOHN GRIFFIN.

Witnesses:

B. F. CAMP, J OHN R. LANE.

